Basic Home Security, Are You Covered?

Basic home security; most people think that there is a ‘one-size-fits-all, silver bullet solution’ to basic home security. The reality is that each situation is unique and deserves a complete and individual review to ensure all precautions are taken to protect your home, loved ones and valuables.

A basic home security system certainly is a very good investment to make to protect you, your loved ones and your property. In addition to having the proper security system, don’t over look the other, simple things you can do to deter the casual criminal. Following are some precautions that should be implemented now, regardless of any home security system you have or are contemplating installing.

Your exterior doors are one of the main points of access to your home. If they’re ‘wide open’ or unlocked, someone looking to cause problems will walk through them, almost guaranteed. Locking all exterior doors with a high quality lock will slow down and perhaps even stop the ‘casual criminal’. The more time and effort required to gain access to your home, the more likely the criminal will move on to other, easier targets. Placing as many deterrents as possible in the way of the criminal is one of the basic tenets of home security. It is definitely something you should keep in mind when evaluating your current security system or when shopping for your home security system.

It may sound like a no brainer, but, you’d be surprised at how few of us have deadbolt’s on all exterior doors. It may seem like it is over kill, but standard locks are very easy to bypass. It is incredible how fast and easy it is to gain access to a garage or uninhabited house using nothing more than a cheap ID card, Membership card, or driver’s license. A standard lock just won’t stop someone who is willing to go the extra step to gain access to your home.

Also, if any door has glass in it or right next to it, be sure the deadbolt requires a key on both sides in order to open it. Having a deadbolt with a key on the exterior and a simple turn knob on the inside isn’t much better than having no deadbolt at all. A criminal can break or cut the glass, reach in turn the knob and enter your home. With a proper deadbolt in place, a criminal will either have to be very proficient at picking a 6 tumbler lock, or be able kick your door in.

How should you secure all those windows? They’re great to look out, but they’re not a deterrent from a security standpoint. Not only do they let people look directly into your home, but they’re fragile and easy to break. However, as long as all your windows are closed and locked, a criminal will be forced to destroy your property if they want to gain access to your home. Closing and ensuring all windows are securely locked is a must. You should check every day before you leave the house and every night before you go to bed. Make sure all windows are checked, not just the ground-accessible windows, and make it part of your daily routine.